Externally applied textile reinforced systems on RC members: Innovative and sustainable materials and techniques

To hinder overbuilding and find sustainable solutions in the construction sector, recent scientific researches consider the strengthening and repair of existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures using innovative materials and techniques. The Textile Reinforced (TR) system applied according to the traditional Externally Bonded (EB) technique is considered a suitable strengthening method due to the use of inorganic matrix. Using a matrix with sustainable environmental aspects, a mortar added with fibres from waste materials, that is also a corrosion inhibitor of the steel rebars, the EB technique can be replaced by the Inhibiting-Repairing-Strengthening (IRS) technique. The IRS technique is an eco-friendly strengthening method because it reduces the number of manufacturing steps and amount of chemical products used; this means less time and environmental pollution. This work shows the experimental behaviour of RC beams strengthened by IRS technique compared with the EB technique and discusses about the intermediate/end debonding strain helpful to design.